Humza Yousaf has said he would shift the campaign for independence into “fifth gear” if he wins the SNP leadership after a colleague suggested that it should “go down a gear”.
Social security minister Ben Macpherson had said it would take longer than the short or medium term for Scotland to become a successful independent country.
He wrote in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper: “Any reckless, overly disruptive path to statehood would quickly make our quality of life in Scotland poorer.
“Better to go down a gear and take the journey at a reasonably safe speed than crash trying to rush things.”
Health secretary Yousaf said in Stirling on Monday: “I’ll lead from the front as first activist, I’ll build the team that will deliver independence.
“I’ll protect our pro-independence majority in Parliament, I’ll defend our Scottish democracy from attack from Westminster power grabs.”
Voting opened in the leadership contest on Monday at noon.
Polls have shown that more of the Scottish public favouring rival Kate Forbes to become First Minister but Yousaf said he wanted to grow support for the party and independence.
He said: “I’ve managed to quadruple support amongst the public since the first polls came out but also I’m ahead when it comes to SNP members and SNP voters.
“That tells me that the party believes that my vision, a progressive agenda, is one that reflects their values.”
Asked about Macpherson’s comments, he said: “I have the opposite view, I think we should be ramping up, not ramping down activity.
“If I was the first minister I’d put us into fifth gear – let alone take it down a gear.
“There’s a number of prospectus papers I would commit to publishing around the case for independence as soon as I become first minister.
“But also, on day one, we’ve got to kick start the Yes movement.”
The health secretary has said he wants to establish a consistent majority and “settled will” for independence.
He said he would not give an exact timescale for how many polls showing independence support over 50 per cent would be needed for this to be the case, saying it will be “obvious” when the “settled will” is achieved.
He refused to rule out calling a snap Holyrood election in order to advance independence at the weekend.
Mr Yousaf said: “I’m simply saying that we should use any means that is necessary in terms of process to advance the cause of independence, that’s within a legal framework.”
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